Protective cover for straw hats



Sept. 26, 1933. R. B. HocK PROTECTIVE COVER FOR STRAW HATS Filed June 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 2% ATTORNEY fi lerlfl Jim Sept. 26, R B Q K PROTECTIVE COVER FOR STRAW HATS Filed June 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sme t 2 INVENTOR E0261? ,3 Haai;

A TTORNEY Patented Sept. 26, 1933 UNITED STATES PROTECTIVE COVER FOR STRAW HATS Robert B. Hock,

Goshen, .N. Y:

Application June 28, 1932; Serial N0. 619,623

5 Claims.

This invention relates, 'gen'erally,'to improvements in protective covers for straw hats; and the invention relates, more particularly, to a novel 'foldable waterproof cover memberassociated in 5 a novel manner with the usual decorative ribbon band, with which such hats are provided, whereby, when not in use, said cover may be folded relative to the band so as toTlie-concealed behind the same. 1

This invention has for its principal object to provide, in combination with a detachable ribbon band for a straw hat, a novel foldable waterproof hat cover which folds into parallel underlying relation to said band so as to be concealed thereby when the band is normally applied around the crown of the hat, but which, when use thereof is desired in showery or rainy weather, may be unfolded and mounted upon the hat to form a covering member enclosing the crown and brim thereof so as to protect the same from wetting. r

This invention has for a furtheriobjec't to provide a novel form and relation of foldable parts designed toform'a hat cover, together with means tofasten such parts in operative cover forming relation ready to be applied upon and over the crown and brim of the hat. v r

Otherobjects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumeratedwill be understood from the following detaileddescription of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in 'which:-- i r Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a straw hat having the detachable ribbon band and foldable waterproof cover member, with the latter folded so .as to lie between the hat crown and said band, being thus readily available for use but being concealed by the band until suchuse is desired; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a view of the hat band removed from,the hat preparatoryto unfolding of the cover member; Fig. 4 is an inside f plan view of the removed hat band with the cover member partially unfolded relative thereto preparatory to the operative disposal of the parts of the latter ready for use and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a hat with the cover member arranged in operative'condition and applied over the crown and brim of the hat asa protection thereto.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts. I

Referring to said drawings, the reference character 6 indicates the crown of a straw hat and'7 V of the top of the hat crown. marginal portion 15, at suitable longitudinally eyelet or perforation 20, which at proper time, is

marginal portion 15.

the brim thereof. 'Arranged toencircle the. hat crown 6 above the brim 7 is a ribbon band 8' such as is usually provided as a decorative element of the hat. This band 8 is of detachable form," comprising a discontinuous body having 'a suitably formed bow formation 9 at, one end, to the inner y face of the free loop portion of which are secured female elements 10 of snap "fastener devices.

Secured to theopposite end of the band 8 are male elements 11 of said snap fastener devices.

Anyother suitable form of fastener devices may be employed, Q Q r The novel foldable cover member which is associated with the band 8,'comprises a substantially rectangular main body 12 formed from any suitable waterproof or moisture resistant mate- 'rial, such as sheetrubber, rubberized fabric, oilsilk, or the like. This main body 12 is provided, intermediate its ends, with a plurality "of perpendicularly extending pleats 13. The main body 12' is overlaid upon the innerface offthe band 8, and suitably secured thereto, jas by stitching '14. In disposing said main body 12 in 'operative'relation to said band '8 a free pleated marginal portion 15 of minor extent is formed 8 to extend beyond one longitudinal edge of the band, and a free pleated'skirt portion 16 of major extent is formed to extend beyond the opposite longitudinaledge of the "band. 'Connected with said marginal portion s 'inter 8 mediate its ends is a foldable top-sheet 1,7 having ajgeneral outline shapeapproximating that Secured to" the spaced intervals, are maleelements 18 of snap fastener devices," and securedto the edge portions of the top-sheet 17 are suitably spaced female elements 19 of said snap fasteners. Adjacent to one end of said marginal portion 15 is an engageable over the male snap fastener element 18 located adjacent the opposite end of said Owing to the portions of the pleats 13 which extend through said marginal portion 15, the latter is longitudinally expansible and contractible. In like manner, owing to the portions of the pleats 13 which extend through said skirt portion '16, the latter is like- Wise longitudinally expansible and contractible. The folds'ofthe portions of the pleats 13 which extend through said skirt portion 16 are provided 1 with perforations 21, located adjacent to the elastic strip or'cord 22," the respective terminal female element 24 of said snap fastener device.

It will ,be understood that any other suitable forms of cooperative fastener devices may be substituted for the described snap fastener elements with which the marginal portion 15, top sheet 17 and skirt portion 16 are shown to be pro vided. .1

- When use of the cover member is not desired, the marginal portion is folded over teen that portion of the main body 12 which is con tiguous to the inner face of the band 8, and then the top-sheet 17 is folded upon itself to likewise overlie the folded marginal portion15, as shown in. Fig. The skirt T portion 16 is thereupon folded upon itself along the line dam in Fig. 1, and again folded along the line b"l in Fig/1;, whereby it too is brought into overlying relation ,25v tof thefoIdd mergineip'ormen 15 andtop-sheet .17 and along the back of the band a, when the "e ver memee is .thusfolde'd upon .itselif, the band ar disposed around the hat erown 6, and its meeting ends secured togfeth'er'by thefas'terier c 1ev1 ee 10 11, whereupon the com letely fbl'dd ee'ver member, as indicated by the reference character C in Figs. 2 and 3, will lie between the es Of the hat crown 6 andth' ban 8 so as to be concealed by the-latter. Iri'this' manner the etter member is carried in connection with the hat sees to be always readyforinstant use upon 7 need therefor, and yet is so hidden from view as tfe avoid disturbing the normal and usual appearance of the hat as ordinarily worn. In the event of occurrence of showers or rain, the user may quickly ebt mme' cove memeer and by V mani ulation thereof unfold the Same and 1' 6- its parts to fofrh the operative iprotecting cover for application over the hat rown and brim. In preparing'the ever member for T'sfuch use, the 'following' operations are perfor'medzf L j 1 o First the band a is detached fr m the hat, revers d and then, 1'aidout lengthwise as Shown in Fig. 4.. The skirt ortion 16:15 then unfolded to extend downwardly therefrom, and the marfg'inal portion 15 is unfolded to extend upwardly therefrom, 'while, the topgsheet 17 is unfolded to spread condition (indicated tyj ddtted fines in Fig. 4'). The band 8 and body 121s "then applied around the j'side's 0f the hat Crown 6, with the ends of the body 12 overlap ed, and "the ends of the band 8 secured again toge'tli'erby the fastener devices 1'0'-11. The marginal por- 6 above the band 8, whereupon its freeedge por- {tions may be inturned over the top of the hat crown, the pleat portions 13 therein permitting the necessary contraction of saidfed'ge portions to cause the same to conform to the contour of the crown; The eyelet or perforation 20 'at one end 'of "the marginal portion is engaged over the fiialeffas'tenerelement l8 adjacent to the other end'of said marginaljportion, whereupon the topifs'heet.17is'spread'over the top of the crown, and overthe inturned edge pertionsof said 'm'ar'g'in'al portion 15,"being then joined to the latter by'engaging its female fastener elements 19 "with "the finale, fastener elements 180f fsaid marginal por- 'tibn 15. The skirt portion 16 i's'ektended outfree edge portions of said skirt portion 16 tendmarginail portion, when urifolt'led, te rerm aerehaving "fasteningmeansto 'unite itserids wardly from the lower edge of the band 8 over the hat brim 7, the pleated portions 13 permitting expansion thereof to spread the same over 4 said hat brim, with the endportions of said skirt portion meeting in overlapping relation. The free edge portions of said skirt portion 16are then inturned around and under the edge portions of the hat brim '7, and the end portions thereof joined t figetherv by engaging the fastener elements 2'3'"24'. In thus joining siich end portions,-the elastic strip or cord 22 is stretched, so that, when the fastener elements 23--24 are engaged, a drawing tension is exerted upon the ing to contract or gather the same around and beneath the hat brim edge, thus securely attaching the cover member in operative relation to the hat, so are be held thereto against acci'dental displacement. i

7 From the above description it will be apparent that e veryiiovei and practical eembi ed hat band and foldable cover member is provided for use with straw'hats or the like; the samebein'g so devised'as tote wholly "coneealed by the-hat bandwh'en term use, but nevertheless capable 0 of being quickly and easily unfolded and set up for application in protective cov ring relation to the hat in case of need; and so as to emeienuy protect the hat against wetting when worn N ing showery or rainy weather. As many changes couldbe made in the name construction and .many appaintly widely different embodiments of this invention eel-11d be made without departing from the seete thereof, as defined in the renewing claims; it is 0 tended that all matter contained the above description or shown the-aecornpanying'drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. r

I claim? 1. The combination with a detachable bat-iiiv for hats, of a hat cover member band so as to be cone the hat to whichsa-id b nd 2. The combination having fastening me ing relation to "detac ahat, of a "hat eevr m ner face of said, band and having extensiblepai ts fol'dable into underlying reiatrdii to said band so as to be "concealed between the band eat the hat to which said band is applied. j v 3, In combination, arseeeenuoee hat' having fastening iiieaiis to e meetre relation, a foldable cover, "said hat cover torment ng to the innerside 'of s aidband said 'niain' body having a free marginal portion folda-ble rela a eesfoldtudinal edge of said band, a o

able relative totl'ie other-lo'r'igitud na edge-ef 's'aid band,and"a'foldabletopsheetcon ected'w-ith eaid marginal portion; said-'iria di'tion, t"p sheet and-skirt 'po'r'tionfbe n g f to He said band so'as to be concealed between tHe bai-id 'and'a hat to which said bajria' eeppiied geetperetive fastener means for uniting said top sheet a-iid tective covering to 'e'nvelopthe erewn of -a hat;

and mean'sjto retains aid skirt permeate-hen uneienat.

folded, m-eevermg-reietiente the-bri 4. In combination, a discontinue ,7 1n "meeti relation. and a foldable-liat 'c'o've'r; seia net cover comprising a main body secured to the inner side of said band, said main body having a pleated free marginal portion foldable relative to one longitudinal edge of said band, a pleated skirt portion foldable relative to the other longitudinal edge of said band, and a foldable top sheet connected with said marginal portion; said marginal portion, top sheet and skirt portion being longitudinally foldable relative to said band so as to underlie the same for concealment between the band and a hat to which the band is applied; oooperative fastener means for uniting said top sheet and marginal portion, when unfolded, to form a protective covering to envelop the crown of a hat; and means to retain said skirt portion, when unfolded, in covering relation to the brim of said hat.

5. In combination, a discontinuous hat band having fastening means to unite its ends in meeting relation, and a foldable hat cover; said hat cover comprising a main body secured to the inner side of said band, said main body having a pleated free marginal portion foldable relative to one longitudinal edge of said band, a pleated skirt portion foldable relative to the other longitudinal edge of said band, and a foldable top sheet connected with said marginal portion; said marginal portion, top sheet and skirt portion being longitudinally foldable relative to said band so as to underlie the same for concealment between the band and-a hat to which the band is applied; cooperative fastener means for uniting said top sheet and marginal portion, when unfolded, to

form a protective covering to envelop the crown of v a hat; the pleats of said skirt portion adjacent to its free longitudinal edge having perforations stretched to contract and retain said skirt member against displacement from said brim..

ROBERT B. HOCK. 

